


Tip Me Not (Coffee Shop AU)

by mysterysiria



Series: Teen Wolf Coffee Shop AU [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-13 00:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16882449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysterysiria/pseuds/mysterysiria
Summary: Derek Hale, a barista, eyes on one of his workaholic customers and tries to get a date with her.





	Tip Me Not (Coffee Shop AU)

**Author's Note:**

> Written in Derek's POV.
> 
> This is just a one-shot, requested by an Anon Reader on Tumblr.

The best decision I’ve ever made in life was building The Rabbit Hole. It’s for everyone who wanna get away from everyone. For folks who need their caffeine fix at any time of the day, for those who wanted to work, and those who wanted to let loose but not too loose. It’s an escape for those who want to think or read. I always keep this in mind to let me do my best service. However, my mindset at work changed one afternoon.

I’ve just hired three new people for the team and I was in the middle of introducing them to the espresso machine when this woman came in. She looked flustered and in dire need of coffee. I watched her find herself a table and she was relieved to find one in the farthest corner of the room, away from the counters. When she was settled, she walked towards the counter, stomping her heavy feet as her eyes searched for the perfect coffee concoction. I told my newly hired I needed to take care of this customer. I approached her on the other side of the counter and readied a smile for her.

“Hi…” She greeted me but her greeting sounded more like a deep exhale. “Okay, can I have one Americano, please? With two brown sugars on the side.” She tapped the edge of her credit card repeatedly on the counter. I wanted to ask her if she was sure because she looked like she didn’t need a caffeine boost. But instead, I said, “Sure, are you having it for here?”

“Yes, please. With two brown sugars on the side.” I gave her my reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry, I got that. Americano with two brown sugars on the side. Want anything to pair it with?”

“No, thank you. Just the coffee.” I read her signals. It’s after work hours and she’s in a hurry to get her coffee. I rang in her order and she paid me with her credit card.

“Still working, huh?” I asked her. I didn’t know why, but I felt a small amount of concern for her. It’s pretty easy to tell that she’s not having the best day that day.

“Oh, you have no idea.” Actually, I did. I just smiled at her on one corner of my mouth and shook my head as I finished the transaction.

“Can I get your name?”

“Yeah, it’s Y/N,” She said, spelling it out to me.

“Nice to meet you, Y/N. I’m Derek. I’ll go make your Americano now. Go take your seat,” I said and gave her the receipt and her credit card back. She probably thought I was gonna call her name when her coffee was ready. But I wanted to bring it to her. And now we knew each other’s names. Two minutes later, I brought her her drink. She was cooped up in her laptop, probably crunching numbers because all I saw were tables and charts.

“Here you go, one Americano with two brown sugars on the side,” I said to her as I put the mug of coffee on her table.

“Oh dear, thanks a lot for bringing it to me…” She trailed off trying to remember my name.

“Derek.”

“Derek,” She repeated after me and sighed. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t notice you call me to get my coffee.” She scratched the back of her head.

“I didn’t,” I said, standing there and giving her smile I wanted her to remember. It took her about three seconds to grasp what happened.

“Oh,” She said and looked down for a second before looking back up at me saying, “Thank you, Derek. I’ll be sure to leave a tip.” She smiled at me saying that and then glued her eyes back to her laptop as she fanned one packet of brown sugar repeatedly to gather its contents on one side. My smile faded when I heard the words “leave a tip.”

I smiled at myself when she returned to The Rabbit Hole the next day and the day after that. She ordered the same thing every day. Even on weekends, she wore office clothes. Two weeks later, on a Sunday morning, she came by wearing a neat dress. She put her hair down and she didn’t appear to be in a hurry, and she definitely did not bring her laptop this time. I braced myself. I wanted to do better than just being good enough to be tipped. I badly wanted to ask her out.

“You look different today,” I said to her as a greeting. She finally let me see her undistracted smile.

“No pantsuit today definitely. It’s a Sunday,” She said, eyeing on pastries on the shelves beside the register counter.

“Are you having your usual?”

“Oh, no. I’m indulging myself today,” She said eagerly. That smile hasn’t left her face. “I’ll have a Caramel Macchiato.” I nodded at her and smiled as I rang in her order. “And some blueberry pancakes, please.”

“Still haven’t eaten for the day, huh?” I asked her as I rang in her second order.

“No, I’m starving,” She said with so much expression on her face.

“So you’re having everything for here then?” I asked her and then she nodded. I wanted to ask her if she has a date today. “Are you waiting for a friend today?”

“Oh, no. I kept my schedule open today. I just wanted to unwind, really,” She said and then I acknowledged that while accepting her payment and then finished the transaction. Her orders were ready in ten minutes and I served it to her table as usual. She was seated by the window that day, just watching cars and people pass by outside. It’s refreshing to see her enjoy the moment.

“Hey, Derek, I really don’t mind standing up to get my coffee,” She said to me as I stood by her table with the tray of her orders. I just shook my head and said, “I don’t mind bringing them to you. And please don’t give me a tip this time.” I was about to go out on a limb here.

“Why not? You deserve it. You’re like the most hardworking person in this place.” I just smiled at her and asked if I could sit with her.

“Well, instead of a tip, how about letting me keep you company for a while? My shift just ended anyway.” There goes my limb.

“You were working since last night?”

“Yeah, inventory.”

“Wow. You really are hardworking,” she said, and then one of my staff brought me my drip coffee.

“Look who’s talking,” I told her, and then I thanked my staff for bringing me my coffee. “Your job practically owns you on the weekdays.”

“And yours doesn’t?” I shook my head.

“I own it.” I didn’t wanna tell her I owned the place. For godsakes, I just wanted to ask her out. I still didn’t, though, and we talked all morning and avoided talking about work. She told me about her hometown and her little dog. We talked about our favorite coffee and I told her about the different blends of black coffee The Rabbit Hole has.

“So when were you gonna tell me that you own the place?” She asked me and I completely wasn’t ready for it. I chuckled and looked down.

“I was hoping after we had our first date,” I said, pinching my thumb. She raised her eyebrows at me but she was smiling. This is a good sign.

“And when were you gonna ask me out?” She asked me, holding the rim of her coffee mug.

“Now?” I said, and we both smiled shyly, both of us looking down at our mugs. It took me a whole second before opening my mouth again.

“Will you have dinner with me tonight, Y/N?” I finally asked her. She said yes. I waited two weeks to ask her this. I played this scene in my head over and over again, but how it happened was much better than my imagination.


End file.
